A pair of $53,750 divisions of the Buckette for three-year-old trotting fillies went postward this afternoon at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio. Caviar Forthe Lady captured the first division with relative ease, but the other split featured a showdown between Windsong Soprano and Raising Rachel
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It took a finish-line photo to separate the Canadian-trained Windsong Soprano and Raising Rachel, as the pair was together at the wire in 1:58 over a track rated 'good.'
When the gate folded, All Star Hanover (driven by George Brennan) fired out from the rail spot and led the field to the opening quarter in :29.3. Just after the opening stanza blazed to life, Jack Moiseyev and Raising Rachel were on the move from second.
Clearing very quickly -- well before the :59.1 opening half -- the John Kopas-trained Raising Rachel had to then keep her eye open for David Miller and Windsong Soprano, who were coming first up from fourth.
With 'Soprano' in hot pursuit, Raising Rachel spun past the three quarters marker in 1:29.1. From there, the grudge match was on.
Moiseyev and Raising Rachel were game to the finish, but it was a gutty trip from Bob McIntosh's pupil Windsong Soprano which led to the slim decision. All Star Hanover held on for third.
"It was just a matter of keeping after my filly and she'd just keep trotting on," said Miller, the all-time winningest driver at the Delaware County Fair.
Driver Charlie Norris and SJs Caviar filly Caviar Forthe Lady reigned supreme in the first Buckette division.
With One Tough Girl (John Campbell) offstride after the five-horse field left the gate, Norris slipped the Marty Wollam-trained filly into the two hole behind Valeris (Tim Tetrick).
Valeris Dream cut the fractions in :28.2 and :58 before Norris pulled his mount first over. Clearing in the third panel and going on to trip the third stanza in 1:28.1, Norris and Caviar For the Lady opened up many lengths on the field and went on to stop the clock in 1:58.4.
Spiceberry Hanover (Dave Palone) shortened the winning margin considerable with a sharp late kick. Musical Dream (William Irvine) fought hard late to secure third.